SAUCES, SEASONINGS, DRESSINGS, DIPS, RELISHES, GRAVIES & RUBS – Page 26

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Pork Chops with Tzatziki Sauce

I know there are at least a dozen, if not more, blogs out there with recipes for Tzatziki sauce…but this was the first time I had actually made it myself, so I just had to share it with you all!

I took a few of these ideas from Chris at Nibble Me This and Andrea The Kitchen Witch, so I can’t even take real credit for this recipe.

What I did do all by myself was cut my own loin chops. I found a very large 6 pound piece of boneless pork loin for like $4 the other day and I just couldn’t pass it up. What it meant, though, was that I was going to have to cut my own chops. Last time I did that, I ended up with some really extra thin and quite strangely shaped pork chops. This time… well, it wasn’t perfect, but that’s ok, I’ll just keep practicing 🙂

The pork was cooked perfectly…if I do say so myself. It had a wonderful mild flavor to it, but what makes this all come together, is definitely the sauce. As most of you know by now, I do my love sauces.

My recommendation… try this one … you will not be sorry you did! Oh, and I brined these chops for an hour and a half and then I let them sit in the marinade for another hour and a half. You can choose to skip the brining part if you want, but, if you have the time, please don’t skip it… You will thank me in the end, trust me!

Grilled Pork Chops with Tzatziki Sauce
Adapted from Nibble Me This & Andrea The Kitchen Witch
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
4 boneless pork loin chops (thick or thin, whatever your preference though I would go for a thicker cut if you can find it)
For the brine –
3 cups water
2 1/2 Tablespoons kosher salt
2 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons minced or chopped garlic
1 teaspoon white or black pepper
For the marinade –
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Greek Seasoning (optional)
For the tzatziki sauce –
6 oz Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
just over a 1/4 cup chopped English cucumber (you can always add more if you want)

Directions:
Mix the water, salt, sugar, garlic, and pepper together. Place chops in a resealable bag and pour the brine over it. Seal and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 hours. Remove from brine and rinse pork thoroughly under cool running water. Thoroughly rinse out the resealable bag also, and place the pork back inside. Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over chops. Seal and let marinate in the refrigerator another 1.5-2 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic powder, salt, and dill. Add the red wine vinegar and oil and stir to combine. Stir in the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat your grill to 375 degrees F. Place the pork directly over the fire and grill for 3-6 minutes per side, depending no how thick your chops are, or until the internal temperature registers 145 degrees F. Remove from grill and allow pork to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving…they will continue to cook while they sit. Serve with tzatziki sauce and enjoy!

Fire Day Friday: Sparkling Barbecue Chicken

Last year, I won a copy of Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue! and it has become one of my favorite cookbooks… or grill-books I should say 🙂 Either way you say it, I love it.

Now, I have not made as many things out of this book as I would like, but I’ll get there, I just need time and patience.

Of all the recipes I have tried, though, this one is definitely the easiest. It was a quick way to put together a tasty meal with very little effort. And, I thought it was an interesting little spin on the standard barbecue chicken.

So what makes it sparkling? Lemon-lime soda, of course. The great thing is, this barbecue sauce truly did sparkle. And the soda brought a bit of a sweet flavor to the barbecue sauce. It was delicious!

Sparkling Barbecue Chicken

Adapted from Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lemon-lime soda (like 7up or Sprite)

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (recipe for homemade bbq sauce)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

Mix together all the ingredients except for the chicken, in a bowl until well combined. Reserve 3-4 tablespoons of the sauce. Put chicken in a resealable bag and pour the remaining sauce of the chicken. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours (you can really get away with 2, but the longer it marinates the more flavorful it will be).

Preheat grill to 375 degrees F. Brush oil on the grill grates. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place directly over the fire. Grill for 8-10 minutes per side or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. You can use the reserved sauce for basting in the last 5 minutes of grill time or you can serve it along side – heck, do both, I dare you 🙂 Enjoy!

Fire Day Friday: Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo

Sometimes I get so caught up in trying to find exciting new recipes that I forget about the simpler things in life….like sandwiches. Sandwiches are so versatile and simple. What’s not to love about that? With a busy schedule and less and less time in the kitchen this week, I wanted to make something that would be filling and yet still make it seem like I worked hard to create a fantastic dinner 🙂 Enter the steak sandwich. Simple, true, but add a little chimichurri mayo and, well, suddenly your steak sandwich is anything but simple. It’s flavorful, it’s a tiny bit spicy, and it’s fresh tasting. Definitely a great alternative to your usual sandwich spread.

I kept the steak marinade very simple, I knew the mayo would have a great flavor and I didn’t want that to be over shadowed. You can marinate your steak in anything you want though, or even just drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, steaks don’t usually need much, they are usually so flavorful in themselves.

Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri Mayo

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 lbs. top sirloin (or any steak really)

1/2 cup beer (I used Bud Light)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon Sambal Oelek (chili paste)

5 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

4 hoagie buns, french rolls, or thick cut crusty bread

Lettuce (optional)

Tomato (optional)

Cucumber (optional)

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the beer, Worcestershire, and Sambal Oelek. Place steak in a resealable bag and pour marinade over it. Let marinate for at least 4 hours.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes until smooth. Add the parsley and stir to combine. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Place the steak directly on the grill grates and grill until cooked to your liking. I prefer medium rare so I put my steak on for about 5-6 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Remove from grill and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing thin against the grain. Slather some of the chimichurri mayo on the bread (I toasted my buns first..yum!!), arrange steak on bun and top with lettuce, tomato, and/or cucumber. Enjoy!

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Cucumber Relish

When I was in college (in Nebraska), we used to frequent this little place called Cliff’s Lounge. Cliff’s Lounge was known for it’s Kamikazes. Fifty (yep..5-0) different flavored Kamikazes to be exact! It was a college students little heaven, trust me! And we aren’t talking shots…we are talking large (did I mention LARGE) glasses of the devils’ own liquid! My top 3 picks from that list of 50 were: Purple Hooter, Troutwater (don’t judge), and Pineapple. I have a vague memory of consuming all three one night… but we’ll skip over those stories as my mom might be reading this!!

So, I guess you are probably asking yourself why I’m telling you this, right? Well, it seems that every time I eat or drink something pineapple, I am reminded of the Pineapple Kamikazes at Cliff’s. Don’t ask me why, it’s been years since I’ve been to Cliff’s, but there was just something about those tasty drinks and the green tissue paper balls hanging from the ceiling that I will never, ever forget. Plus, this is a little plug for Cliff’s – if you are ever in Lincoln, Nebraska, I highly recommend stopping by for a drink or two (or three). The atmosphere alone is worth checking out!!

ANYWAY…on to what we are really here for: If you have followed by blog at all, or have read at least one of my posts here since the beginning of the year, than you will probably know that I have a thing for sauces. When I say sauces, I do have to include salsas and relishes to that mix…as I see it, salsas and relishes are just chunky forms of sauce anyway 🙂

My only problem with this meal was that I could not find thick cut pork chops. UGH!! It’s getting harder and harder for me to find anything but paper thin cuts. What I hate the most is that the cook time has to be very hot and very fast so that it doesn’t dry out. If you find thicker chops, grab them…just remember to keep them on the grill longer. Other than that, this meal was perfect. The flavors melded perfectly together… but I believe one of the best flavor combos out there are pineapple and pork!

Grilled Pork Chops with Pineapple Cucumber Relish
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped or crushed pineapple
1 Tablespoon pineapple juice
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 English cucumber, finely chopped
salt and pepper
4 pork chops (whatever cut you can find will work – ours were boneless loin chops)
2 teaspoons olive oil
garlic salt
pepper
cayenne

Directions:

Rub the pork chops on both side with olive oil. Season with garlic salt, pepper, and cayenne. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. If using thin chops, leave them in the fridge until you are just ready to throw them on the grill…the colder your thin chops are, the better.

In a food processor, puree 1/2 a cup of the pineapple along with the lime juice, peanut butter, and fish sauce. In a bowl, add the cucumber, jalapeno, and remaining pineapple. Pour the puree over and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat your grill to 425 degrees. Grill, covered, for 3 minutes, flip and grill another 2-3 minutes. Remove pork from the grill, serve with relish. Enjoy!

Fire Day Friday: Mediterranean Grilled Chicken

Do you ever get home from work and realize you are just not in the mood to cook? It doesn’t happen to me too often, but when it does, I find myself facing a dilemma. To cook or not to cook? If I don’t cook, what will we do for dinner? Heat up chicken nuggets or frozen burritos? UGH.. no thank you… I mean if I’m going to go through the effort of even doing that, why not go the extra step and cook something a bit more healthy. Hence the dilemma… I don’t want to cook, but I don’t want to eat junk either.

So what’s a girl to do?

This girl just figures out a way to put as little time and as little effort into dinner as I possible can. I guess that’s why my grill is my go to device in those situations. I use propane, so it’s simple to click a button, let it preheat, and slap some meat on it. Of course, the fast and easy way must also be a tasty way, and this recipe is just that! It’s simple, it’s flavorful, and it’s perfect for those nights where you want something good, but you don’t want to have to put a lot of effort into it.

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Adapted from Pam, For the Love of Cooking
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the mayo, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and oregano until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish and pour half of the sauce over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. Cover the reserved sauce and leave in refrigerator until you are ready to grill the chicken.

Preheat your grill to 400 degrees. Oil the grill grates. Remove the chicken from the bag and place directly over the flame. Allow to grill for 8-10 minutes per side or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Serve with the reserved sauce and enjoy!

CUCUMBER STRAWBERRY SALAD

CUCUMBER STRAWBERRY SALAD

1-2 large cucumbers, sliced thin

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin

10-12 strawberries, quartered

Champagne Salad Dressing

Arrange cucumbers, green onions and strawberry pieces on serving plate.
Generously salt and pepper.
Pour dressing over top. Tonight I had extra strawberries that I pureed and added into the dressing.
Chill.
Enjoy!

SALVITXADA ala Tamy

I was reading an email article from Tasting Table about Salvitxada and it sounded scrumptious. So I set off on an internet search for other recipes. Catalan Salbitxada sauce is eaten with “calcots”, a special kind of green onion from Cataluna. Char-grilled green onions with Salbitxada sauce make both a good “tapa” and side dish for spring and summer. Tasty and easy to make, try this sauce with all types of grilled vegetables, not just onions. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, a food processor makes this sauce a snap.

Here is the recipe I came up with for us and what’s left – it was scrumptious!

SALVITXADA ala Tamy Makes 2 1/2 cups
4 tablespoons blanched almonds, toasted and ground to a fine coarse
4 fresh mild hot peppers, (membranes and seeds removed) finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons blood orange vinegar*
3/4 cup canola oil**
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place almonds in hot oven to toast for 5-7 minutes.
Place in a food processor or mortar and pestle and coarsely grind.
Peel and dice tomatoes and set aside.
Finely chop the peppers, removing the seeds and membranes.
Peel and finely mince the garlic.
Mash ground almonds, peppers and garlic into a paste using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
Mix in tomatoes, parsley and vinegar.
Pulsing the food processor, drizzle in the canola oil until sauce becomes thick.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with grilled “calcots” (green onions) and/or chips and other grilled vegetables.

*Most recipes call for red wine vinegar, but I changed it for flavor alone.
**Most recipes called for olive oil, but I am not an olive lover – I even hate the smell so I changed it up for us.

Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Pesto

Martha from A Sense of Humor is Essential will be filling in today for Liz. She loves multitasking recipes, and here is a favorite one- Roasted Red Pepper and Almond pesto. This is a different spin on pesto, using roasted red peppers and almonds, instead of the traditional basil and pine nuts. This red pepper pesto is delicious served on toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil for an appetizer, or with cooked pasta as an entree.

ROASTED RED PEPPER and ALMOND PESTO
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers, garlic clove, almonds, 3 tablespoons parsley, lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons olive oil.
Pulse until a coarse puree forms. Season with salt and black pepper.

(I used my small wand processor because I already had it out to make soup and I didn’t feel like dirtying yet another cooking gadget!)

VALENTINE’S DAY ~ WEEKEND OF ROMANCE FOODS

Last weekend we rolled out the Valentine’s Day of Romance Menu for 2011 over at OUR KrAzY kitchen, but I needed to write about something fun and upbeat over here and thought I’d share this fun menu with you. So what did you do for Valentine’s Day this year?

Valentine’s Day is a truly subjective menu. Not everyone wants or dreams of the same foods. So awhile back when we were just sitting around I quizzed hubby in a round about way and was able to come up with his favorite romantic menu to create a romantic meal. At that time I obviously planned on doing the cooking, but unfortunately since I’m still not allowed to cook, he’ll be the one preparing the recipes, but all is good and we’ll make it work. I did borrow a few photos from google images since hubby has yet to make the meal, the rest are from my archives, but the recipes are all ours.

STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS

2 cups crushed ice

1/2 cup fresh strawberry puree

1 cup tequila

2 limes, juiced

Splash Triple Sec

Splash simple syrup (equal amounts sugar and water heated until sugar dissolves completely and then cooled)

Combine in a blender, ice, strawberry water, tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec and simple syrup.
Puree until smooth.
Pour into rocks glasses, garnish and serve.

CAJUN SHRIMP COCKTAIL

1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup chili sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
Juice of 1 lemon (save your rind to make the cute serving dish)
2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Frank’s red pepper hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

plenty of fresh medium-large shrimp, cleaned and chilled

I use my mini food processor to mix it all in until well blended.
Chill for a day or so before needed to allow flavors to meld together.

CAESAR SALAD DRESSING
6 cloves garlic, mashed and minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Champagne Vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup canola oil
Sea Salt
White Pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
Minced anchovy fillets (optional – I usually leave them out)

Combine garlic, mustard, vinegar and two pinches of salt in a blender and mix thoroughly.
Add mayonnaise and blend together to form a thick base.
In a slow stream add oil.
Scrape dressing with spatula into a bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Optional – Add anchovies to dressing to create a deeper, saltier taste.

PARMESAN CHEESE CROUTONS
6 slices thick sourdough bread
butter, melted, enough to coat bread
½ cup Fontina Cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place bread slices on oven rack and bake until dry and golden.
Melt butter in flat bowl.
Combine cheeses in flat bowl.
Dip first in butter and the cheese mixture.
Bake on cookie sheet 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.
Cut to desired size*

*If I’m in a hurry I will sometimes cut these ahead of time and toss with the butter and cheese which coats all the sides better.

GARLIC STEAK

Steak of choice (hubby choose T-bones)

2 cloves of garlic per steak, minced fine

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar per steak

1/2 tablespoon canola oil

sea salt

white pepper

Pierce each steak with a marinater.
Whisk together the garlic, oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Place steak side by side of a large plate.
Pour marinade over top.
Turn steak and make sure each is well coated.
Cover and marinate overnight.
Take steak out of refrigerator an hour before grilling, turn several times making sure still well coated in marinade.
Firmly press garlic pieces into the steak.
Grilled to desired doneness – mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, medium rare….

TWICE BAKED POTATOES

4 large baking potatoes

8 slices bacon

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

8 green onions (tops and all), sliced and divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour or until done through.
Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble and set aside.
When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl; saving skins.
To the potato pieces add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the green onions. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.
Bake for another 15 minutes.

SOUR CREAM DUTCH APPLE PIE

PIE
3+ cups apples, cored, peeled and chopped
lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 cup sour cream (not light)
9 inch pastry shell, pre-baked and cooled
TOPPING
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter, sliced extremely thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Chop the apples and combine with just enough lemon juice to coat and prevent browning in large bowl.
In a small bowl sift together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Fold in the sour cream, egg, vanilla and maple extract until well blended.
Fold the sour cream mixture into the apples until well coated.
Carefully pour into the pie shell, mounding towards the center.
Toss together the topping ingredients until well blended.
Sprinkle topping evenly over the apple mound.
Lay the pieces of butter all over the top.
Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.
Best served with ice cream or fresh whipped cream. If you want to be really decadent try it with Caramel Sauce.

HOMEMADE VANILLA ICE CREAM
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 jumbo eggs
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

Warm the milk in a small pan.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a separate bowl.
Slowly add the warm milk to the egg mixture while continuously whisking the mixture.
Pour the entire mixture back into the pan and heat slowly, stirring continuously until mixture thickens to loose pudding texture. DO NOT BOIL! Let it cool to room temperature.
Whisk in the cream and vanilla.
Follow your ice cream maker directions for freezing.

EXTRA SOUR, JUST THE WAY HUBBY LIKES THEM!

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce

I am extremely excited about co-hosting Fire Day Friday with Chris from Nibble Me This! My name is Jenn from Jenn’s Food Journey and I love to grill….uhmmm, wait… I mean I LOVE to grill…so when Chris asked if I would co-host with him, I was not only honored but ecstatic!!! A place where I can talk about food being cooked over fire…HEAVEN!! So I’ll be here every other Friday and if you get lonely and want to come see me between those days, come check out Jenn’s Food Journey, you’ll never know what you might find! And thanks again to Chris and this amazing community of bloggers on Our Krazy Kitchen!

Now on to the good stuff!!

I live in Arizona, so I can grill comfortably all year long. And I do just that. My favorite thing to grill: Chicken! Some people have a hard time grilling chicken, they tend to over cook it out of fear of under cooking it. The only way to grill good chicken is to practice, practice, practice! The more you do it, the better you will get at it. I don’t want to toot my own horn, but sometimes, I even forget to turn on my timer, I just know by the look and feel that it’s done. I do not recommend that method though, I have come up with shoe leather a time or two also. One way to perfect it: use a meat thermometer! They are every grillers/cooks/chefs must have tool. When cooked properly, chicken should register an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Though I always take the chicken off just a tad bit before, as it will continue to cook a little after you have taken it off the fire.

ANYWAY…I ramble sometimes, sorry! The chicken…it was fantastic! Just a simple little spice mix that just always says “barbecue” to me. Most people have these spices already on hand, so it’s an inexpensive way to end up with a tasty piece of chicken! And the sauce, well, I’m a self proclaimed sauce girl (or is it saucy girl, I’m not sure), so I LOVED it. It has the perfect little tang that compliments the slightly spicy chicken. This is definitely a must try!

Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce
Spice mix created by Jenn’s Food Journey, Sauce adapted from MyRecipes.com
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
For the spice mix –
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
For the sauce –
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard (you could use Dijon instead)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon horseradish

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the spice mix. Rinse the chicken and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken, covering both sides of each piece. Place on a plate and cover or wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator for 2-4 hours (you could always do it for longer, it can’t hurt one bit!).

In another small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the sauce. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Rub grill grates with oil. Place each piece of chicken directly over the fire and cover the grill. Let grill for 5-8 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from grill; serve with white barbecue sauce. Enjoy!

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

I also love to research foods we’ve never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up. I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.

Today we’re making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce. I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) – so the impulse buy won and here we are.

Here’s the history lesson first: Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro’s cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN

4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts

1 stick butter, divided in half

1 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce

1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix

1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Using a small food processor, grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done.
Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.